Horizontal end mounted carriage for gin suction pipe



L. O. MILLER HORIZONTAL END MOUNTED CARRIAGE FOR GIN SUCTION PIPE Filed May 18, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Laurence 0. Mil/er 1N VEN TOR. Q0113. BY

and Z5 A L. O. MILLER HORIZONTAL END MOUNTED CARRIAGE FOR GIN SUCTION PIPE Filed May 18, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Laurence 0. Miller IN VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,260,550 HORIZONTAL END MOUNTED CARRIAGE FOR GIN SUCTION PIPE Laurence 0. Miller, Vernon, Tex., assignor to Kinlau Sheet Metal Works, Inc., a corporation of Texas Filed May 18, 1964, Ser. No. 368,231 Claims. (Cl. 30234) This invention comprises a novel and useful horizontal end mounted carriage for gin suction pipes and more particularly pertains to a suction pipe for gin plants having an improved support means for the suction head arrangement of the suction pipe system.

It is common practice in cotton ginning plants to provide a suction pipe system within the building of a gin plant whereby cotton may be unloaded from the cart from the field and delivered into the cleaning and ginning equipment of the plant. In such suction pipe systems there is customarily provided a main or horizontally extending suction pipe fixedly mounted in the gin plant building and discharging to the various cotton treating equipment therein and which is provided upon its inlet end with a movable suction head arrangement. The latter usually includes a horizontal pipe section connected to the main suction pipe and movable relative thereto about a vertical axis together with a vertical suction pipe or suction nozzle connected by a pipe pivot joint to the horizontal suction pipe section for swinging movement about a horizontal pivot. The vertical suction pipe or nozzle has its lower end usually provided with a telescoping sleeve nozzle arrangement so that it may be raised or lowered to position it within a cart whereby through the resulting swinging movement about the vertical axis and the horizontal axis, the suction nozzle may be moved throughout the cart to remove all of the cotton therein.

However, it is difiicult to properly support and counterbalance the weight of the movable suction head arrangement, and this results in undesirable wear and damage thereto.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a support means for a suction pipe system for a gin plant having a suction head arrangement which is capable of swinging movement simultaneously about both a horizontal and a vertical axis, whereby the suction nozzle is capable of movement over a greater area for picking up material and more completely emptying a compartment of such material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suction head arrangement consisting of cooperating horizontal and vertical pipe sections together with a movable support means therefor enabling the horizontal section to freely move in a horizontal plane while carrying the vertical section for independent swinging movement in a vertical plane about a horizontal axis carried by the horizontal section.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a support roller mounted on and supporting the pivot joint connecting the vertical and horizontal pipe section of a suction head arrangement and whereby the horizontal pipe section, the pivot joint and the support roller have a common horizontal axis.

A further object of the invention subordinate to the immediately preceding object is to provide a construction in which the support roller will project outwardly from the opposite side of the pivot joint from that to which the horizontal pipe section is connected and which will thus serve to support and maintain the entire suction head arrangement for swinging movement in a horizontal plane extending through the common axis of the main suction pipe, the horizontal suction pipe section and the support roller.

3,260,550 Patented July 12, 1966 These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in top plan showing a portion of a suction pipe system adapted for use in a cotton ginning plant and showing the suction head arrangement with different swinging positions thereof being shown in dotted lines therein;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the arrangement of FIGURE 1, alternative swinging positions of the vertical suction pipe section or nozzle being shown in dotted lines therein;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 33 of FIGURE 2 and showing the support means for the suction head arrangement; and

FIGURE 4 is a further detail view taken in vertical transverse section substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE '1.

In the accompanying drawings, referring in particular to FIGURES l and 2, the numeral 10 indicates generally a portion of a conventional ginning plant suction pipe system to which the principles of the invention have been applied. The suction pipe system includes a main generally horizontally extending suction pipe indicated at 12 which is fixedly secured in the ginning plant building and conveys the cotton from the relatively movable suction head arrangement indicated generally by the numeral 14 to the cleaning equipment and other cotton treating apparatus in the ginning plant. It will be understood that the pipe 12 is usually fixedly or rigidly mounted in the ginning plant building.

The movable suction head arrangement 14 consists of a relatively short horizontal suction pipe section 16 together with a vertical suction pipe section 18 which are connected together by a pipe coupling indicated generally by the numeral 20. The horizontal pipe section 16 is placed in communication with while being movable relative to the main suction pipe 12 by means of a pivot joint or coupling 21 of a conventional design and which consists of the two components 22 and 24 which are respectively connected to the pipes 1-2 and 16 and are received within and connected to each other as by a pivot 26 for horizontal swinging movement in a horizontal plane about the vertical axis of the pivot 26. In this manner the suction head arrangement 14 is movable through an arcuate range of movement as shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 1 and as permitted by the li-mita 'tions imposed thereon by the coupling 21.

In a similar manner, the pivotal-type coupling 20 of the suction head arrangement 14 includes a pair of housing sections 26 and 28 which are connected together as by cooperating flanges each indicated at 30 and suitable fasteners 32. The section 26 in turn is connected by a flange coupling 34 and the fastening bolts '36 to the end of the horizontal suction pipe section 16. It will be noted from FIGURE 2 that the lower end of the upper housing section 2 6 of the pipe joint 20 terminates in a ball housing 40 having an open lower end 42. Surrounding this ball housing is an exterior spherical housing 44 which is joined to a retaining ring 46 likewise of spherical configuration and constituting a previously mentioned flange coupling 30. In this manner the ball housing 44 is swivelly mounted upon the ball shaped lower portion 40 of the housing section 26, and a horizontal bolt 48 comprises a pivot connection which constitutes a horizontal axis about which the vertical section 18 is swingable.

skilled in the art, it is not It will be noted that the vertical section 18 is connected by a flange coupling 50 at its upper end to a depending flange neck portion 5 2 of the ball member 44.

The lower end of the vertical section 18 is provided with the usual telescoping pipe section to constitute therewith a vertically adjustable suction nozzle in a manner well understood in this art and which in itself forms no part of the present invention.

The essence of this invention resides in the provision of a support means for the movable head arrangement just described. For this purpose there is provided a suitable supporting framework indicated generally by the numeral -60 and which at its upper end includes a horizontally extending track 62 in the form of a hollow pipe or rail and which as shown in FIGURE 1 is preferably of a rectilinear configuration. This hollow rail or track 62 is disposed slightly outwardly beyond the extremity of the pipe coupling 20 of the movable suction head arrangement 14 as will be apparent from FIGURES 1 and 2.

Cooperating with the rail 62 is a support carriage indicated generally 'by the numeral 79. This carriage consists of a suitable supporting framework which is rigidly connected as at 72 in any suitable manner to the supporthead assembly as, for example, to the sides of the 'pipe joint 20. Journaled upon the carriage as by a horizontal axle 74 is a support roller 76. This support roller lies upon and rises from the top surface of the track 62 and is of suflicient length as to maintain its supporting relation upon the track 62 throughout the range of horizontal swinging movement indicated in FIGURE 1 and suggested by the arrow 78.

An essential feature of this invention resides in the specific location of the axis of rotation of the support rollers 76. Thus, as shown by the line '80, there is a common central axis for the main pipe section 112, the horizontal suction pipe section I16 and the roller 76 when the latter 'lie in a straight relation as shown in full lines in FIGURE 1. Further, this axis lies in a horizontal plane so that during swinging movement of the suction head arrangement 14 as indicated by the arrows 78 in FIGURE 1, the movable suction head arrangement 14 will be supported and maintained for swinging movement in a horizontal plane. This will reduce materially wear upon the pivotal joint 21 by which the pipe sections 12 and 16 are connected for horizontal swinging movement in a horizontal plane.

However, by locating the carriage 70 and the support roller 76 and the support rail 62 outwardly beyond the end of the movable suction head arrangement 14, there is no encumbering of the space below the section 16 so that there is no interference with the swinging movement of the vertical suction pipe section 18 as indicated by the arrow 82.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a suction pipe system for gin plants and the like, a main suction pipe connected to a source of suction and a movable suction head arrangement connected to said main suction pipe for swinging movement in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis, said suction head arrangement including horizontal and vertical pipe sections connected together by a pipe pivot joint with said vertical pipe section being movable relative to the horizontal pipe section about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the horizontal pipe section and with said horizontal pipe section joining said main suction pipe and being movable relative thereto about a ventical axis, sing-1e support means secured to said suction head arrangement and supporting the latter for movement in a plane, said single support means comprising a horizontal track and a roller engageable on and movable along said track, said roller being journaled on said suction head arrangement adjacent said pipe joint and to a side thereof other than the side at which the horizontal pipe section is connected.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said roller projects outwardly from said pipe joint substantially in alignment with and diametrically opposed to said horizontal pipe section, whereby the vertical pipe section depends therebetween.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said roller and said horizontal pipe section are coaxially aligned with each other.

4. In a suction pipe system for gin plants and the like, a main suction pipe connected to a source of suction and a movable suction head arrange-ment connected to said main suction pipe for swinging movement in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis, said suction head arrangement including horizontal and vertical pipe sections connected together by a pipe pivot joint with said vertical pipe section being movable about a horizontal axis and with said horizontal pipe section joining said main suction pipe and being movable about said vertical axis, support means secured to said suction head arrangement and supporting the latter for movement in a horizontal plane, said support means including a horizontal track and a roller journaled upon said suction head arrange-ment land having its axis coincident with the axis of said horizontal pipe section, said roller being mounted upon said pipe joint and projecting outwardly from said pipe joint upon the opposite side thereof from the horizontal pipe section and in alignment with said horizontal pipe section.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said track is straight, said roller being of suflicient length to engage said track throughout the range of swinging movement of said suction head arrangement about said vertical axis.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,918,133 7/1933 Rennels 30234 2,511,033 6/1950 Balch et a1. 302-34 2,643,160 6/1953 Zeig 302-58 EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner. ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Examiner.

horizontal 

1. IN A SUCTION PIPE SYSTEM FOR GIN PLANTS AND THE LIKE A MAIN SUCTION PIPE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF SUCTION A MOVABLE SUCTION HEAD ARRANGEMENT CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN SUCTION PIPE FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, SAID SUCTION HEAD ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL PIPE SECTIONS CONNECTED TOGETHER BY A PIPE PIVOT JOINT WITH SAID VERTICAL PIPE SECTION BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE HORIZONTAL PIPE SECTION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE HORIZONTAL PIPE SECTION AND WITH SAID HORIZONTAL PIPE SECTION JOINING SAID MAIN SUCTION PIPE AND BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE THERETO ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, SINGLE SUPPORT MEANS SECURED TO SAID SUCTION HEAD ARRANGEMENT AND SUPPORTING THE LATTER FOR MOVEMENT IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE, SAID SINGLE SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL TRACK AND A ROLLER ENGAGEABLE ON AND MOVABLE AONG SAID TRACK, SAID ROLLER BEING JOURNALED ON SAID SUCTION HEAD ARRANGEMENT ADJACENT SAID PIPE JOINT AND TO SIDE THEREOF OTHER THAN THE SIDE AT WHICH THE HORIZONTAL PIPE SECTION IS CONNECTED. 